Fires at oil depots in two Russian regions after night-time drone attacks

According to Russian authorities, drone strikes on the night of June 20 caused fires at oil depots in the Russian Republic of Adygea and Tambov Oblast.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense shot down six drones over the Republic of Adygea in the Caucasus, three over Bryansk Oblast, three over Krasnodar Region, one over Rostov Oblast, one over Belgorod Oblast and one over Oryol Oblast.

Murat Kumpilov, head of the Republic of Adygea, claimed that the drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the village of Enyem. The fire covered an area of ​​about 400 square meters and was extinguished at 6 a.m. local time, he added.

According to regional head Maksim Yegorov, an oil tank also caught fire following an explosion at the Platonovskaya oil depot in Tambov Oblast.

“The incident was allegedly caused by an unmanned aerial vehicle,” said Yegorov.

According to reports, wreckage of the drone was also found in the Pervomaisky regional district.

Russian Telegram channels shared videos showing burning oil depots and rising smoke. No casualties were reported.

The Kyiv Independent was unable to verify these claims. The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the attacks.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia’s oil industry, whose profits fund Moscow’s war effort..

The previous attacks are linked to the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service (HUR) or the armed forces.

Drones of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) attacked two oil depots in Russia’s Rostov region on the night of June 18, a source in the security and defense forces told the Kyiv Independent.

In total, the SBU carried out 20 successful attacks on Russian oil industry facilities in various regions, the source said.

Satellite images show Russian oil refinery in flames after Ukrainian drone attack

According to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty investigative project Schemes, the depot in the Russian city of Azov is operated by Azovproduct and can store up to 30,000 tons of oil products.